USD Magazine Summer 2014

To squeeze fruits and veggies into meals You’d never know by watching them work their juicer into a frenzied whir at the Gaslamp Third Avenue Farmers Market — mixing, say, apples, beets and carrots — that not too long ago, Mike O’Malley ’11 (BA) and his partner, Lauren South, were soda-drink- ing, fast food types who didn’t think twice about stopping at Wendy’s for a spicy chicken sandwich. Times have changed. The pair recently launched Earth Squeeze, a pop-up juice company fueled by Kickstarter, the online crowdfunding platform. During their four-week Kickstarter campaign

they raised just over $3,500 from 49 friends, family and strangers. They purchased a canopy, industrial juicers and rented commercial kitchen space to store and prep the produce they buy from local farmers. “Getting involved in food activism changed my outlook on the entire food industry,” says O’Malley, who pays more for produce to make sure each drink

is not only healthier, but environmentally friendly and consistent with their mission to save the world one cup at a time. “It changedmy view of food, and what it means to be healthy.” South loves their business model. “Drinking juice is easy when you can’t load up your plate with fruits and vegetables. We can change our menu depending on what’s in season,” she says. “We can pop up anywhere — street fairs, sporting events, concerts. All we need is a table and a juicer.” — Krystn Shrieve [www.facebook.com/earthsqueeze]

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USD MAGAZINE